William McCance (1894-1970) and Agnes Miller Parker (1895-1980)
Woodblock, lithograph and linocut Christmas cards, designed/sent by artist friends, 1930s-1950s
Estimate: £1,500 - £2,000
Auction: 18 June 2025 from 10:00 BST
Description
75+ cards received by the artists William McCance and Agnes Miller Parker, designed/sent by artist friends, many of whom associated with Gregynog Press and Golden Cockerel Press (and others). All between 9 x 13cm and 24 x 15cm (laid flat), largely with typographic messages or signed by the artist:
Leonard Beaumont (1891-1986). ‘In the hope of a more peaceful and Dictatorless year from Francis and Vera Meynell 1937’ - Sir Francis Meynell (1891-1975) founded the Pelican Press and Nonesuch Press;
Dorothea Braby (1909-1987). 2 Christmas/New Year cards;
Lawrence Bradshaw (1899-1978). Monochrome lithograph of mother and child, signed to reverse with inscription, 1929;
Cynthia Burnley (1900-1964). 4 x wood engraving cards, sent by the artist, 1930s;
Edmund Dulac (1882-1953). 3 cards, monoprints;
Eric Gill (1882-1940). Wood engraving of two figures.
Judith Hughes-Stanton (b. 1927, daughter of Gertrude Hermes and Blair Hughes-Stanton). 3 cards from Dick and Naomi Mitchison (MP and author respectively);
Margaret K. Macadam (1902-1991). Christmas card with dachshund, printed by Raven;
George Mackley (1900-1983). 4 wood engraving cards with printed messages, 2 being signed and editioned in pencil by the artist;
John Mansbridge (1901-1981). 3 x coloured screen print cards, 1 x monochrome print;
Albert A. Mason (n.d). 7 cards, 3 featuring cats;
Robert Maynard (1888-1966). Quantity of colour wood engraving (and other) Christmas cards, many sent by the artist; Maynard was the original Controller of Gregynog Press, until McCance took over in 1930;
John Nash (1893-1977). 'Above Cadsdean', colour reproduction for The Soho Gallery Ltd, signed ‘Philip’ [Nash was a friend of McCance and Parker];
John O'Connor (1913-2004). 2 cards, 1 featuring a cockerel and signed from Christopher Sandford (1902-1983, owner of Golden Cockerel Press and a founding director of the Folio Society) and Lettice Sandford (1902-1993, artist); also:
Eric Ravilious (1903-1942). Wood engraving of a train and aeroplane, printed for Golden Cockerel Press and signed ‘The Old Cockerel’ and Christopher Sandford, and asking for a suggestion for ‘the perfect book for Agnes Miller Parker’, presumably to commission illustrations; idem. green and black lithograph [The Grape House], with printed Christmas message from Sir Stephen and Lady Tallents of St John's Jerusalem;
Mark Severin (1906-1987). 4 tri-colour lithograph prints;
Leon Underwood (1890-1975). Print attached to cartridge paper with calligraphic message, and 1949/50 card with ink inscription from Leon and Mary with drawing of cat and mouse;
together with a quantity of cards received from former pupils of McCance from his time teaching at Reading University (approximately 150 in total)
Provenance
From the Estate of William McCance.
Footnote
Agnes Miller Parker illustrated a number of private press books, including several for Golden Cockerel Press and Gregynog Press. William McCance was Controller of Gregynog between 1930 and 1933. He taught typography and book production at the University of Reading between 1943 and 1957 and a number of the cards in this collection are by those students.